ANSWERS

1. Assistive Technology – (which is considered a “related service” under a child’s IEP
2. Independent Living and Transitioning Students
3. Insurance Questions
4. Websites about Specific Disabilities
5. Disability Awareness and Inclusion
6. Social Skills and Children with Special Needs
7. Behavior

Promoting Disability Awareness

Educating the community about individuals with Disabilities is one of the most important goals that need to be addressed in Evanston. One of the first places to start is in our schools. Encourage your schools to hold Disability Awareness Days where the staff and the children can learn about our wonderful children.
http://www.openroad.net.au/access/dakit/disaware/handout12.htm

The Family Village site from the University of Wisconsin has compiled a great list of Disability Awareness Resources: http://www.familyvillage.wisc.edu/general/disability-awareness.html

• Bandaids and Blackboards http://www.faculty.fairfield.edu/fleitas/contents.htmlThis is a site about growing up with medical problems...any ole type. Its goal is to help people understand what it's like, from the perspective of the children and teens who are doing just that. These kids have become experts at coping with problems that most of you have never heard of. They'd like you to know how they do it, and they hope that you'll be glad you came to visit one of the three areas (one for kids, one for teens, and one for adults).

• Count Me In http://www.pacer.org/count/ This puppet program was designed to help children and adults learn about disabilities and chronic illnesses in an effort to bridge the gap between typical students and those with disabilities included in the classroom.
• Disability Awareness: Articles by High School Students http://www.cqc.state.ny.us/disawhs.htm
• Disability Awareness Game http://www.parentsinc.org/game.html
  This is a computer-based classroom game from Parents Inc. that may be used to present different disability awareness ideas in a classroom situation. It is designed to generate discussion based on the many misconceptions people have about disabilities. The target audience for this game is 5th grade through high school, although it can be successfully used with lower grades and adults.
• Disability Awareness Resources http://www.nichcy.org/pubs/bibliog/bib13txt.htm
  From the National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities (NICHCY)
• Disability Awareness Bibliography http://www.iidc.indiana.edu/cedir/
  From the Center for Disability Information and Referral (CeDIR), Institute for the Study of Developmental Disabilities, The University Affiliated Program of Indiana.
• Disability Awareness in the United States http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/able/
  U.S. Department of State's Bureau of International Information Programs
• Disability Awareness Guide http://www.vsarts.org/resources/general/dag/
  From Very Special Arts
• Disability Awareness Education Program http://www.americasathletes.org/daep.htm l
  From America ’s Athletes with Disabilities
• Disability Awareness Kit - Australia http://www.openroad.net.au/access/dakit/disaware/disaware.htm
  Understanding of the ways in which the information needs of people with disabilities can be met
• Disability History Museum http://www.disabilitymuseum.org/
  A searchable, theme-based digital collection that exists only online --offering documents and images related to disability history in the United States, drawn from public and private collections around the country.
• Disability/Probability Interdisciplinary Project http://www.rialto.k12.ca.us/frisbie/coyote/interdisciplinary4.html
  The objectives for this project: the learner will be introduced to and conduct research into individuals with disabilities; library research and a formal oral report will be conducted by cooperative groups; the learner will listen to a speech from a disabled individual; the learner will study and gain an appreciation of how a diverse number of cultures deal with challenged individuals; the learner will conduct probability analyses based upon the incidence of certain disabling conditions.
• Kids on the Block http://www.kotb.com/
  This company provides educational puppet programs which enlighten all children on the issues of disability awareness, medical/educational differences, and social concerns.
• Open Hearts Open Minds http://members.aol.com/ohom/index.htm
  This company offers disability awareness t-shirts, sweatshirts, and tote bags.
• Paraquad http://www.paraquad.org/wwd.htm
  Has disability awareness posters and curriculum.